The Langtang Valley Trek

Near the top of Kyanjin Ri 

Amongst the three major trekking areas in Nepal, namely, Everest, Annapurna and Langtang, the Langtang valley is the most under trekked. Most of the big name peaks are in the Everest and Annapurna regions, so Langtang has always come third when selecting a trekking destination. In many ways this is real pity because Langtang offers pristine forests, rich bird life, monastic culture and above all some spectacular mountain views of the Langtang Himal topped by the shapely Langtang Lirung. The walking is also very enjoyable as there are large sections through the forest where the trekker is often alone surrounded by nature. The is a far cry from the Everest trek where the trails are crowded and often more than busy! A South Col team trekked the Langtang valley in November 2013.

HOW TO REACH SYABRUBESI

There is a direct bus which leaves Kathmandu at 7 30 am and reached Syabrubesi by 3 pm.  If you are a group of 5 to 6 trekkers you could consider hiring a four wheel drive vehicle (one way cost to Syabrubesi would be around USD 180 or so).

PERMITS

You need the Langtang National Park permit (NPR 3,000, SAARC citizens NPR 1,500, and the TIMS permit (USD 20 and 10 for individual trekkers and group trekkers respectively USD 6 and 3 respectively for SAARC citizens). The Langtang permit is available from Tourist Service Centre (01-4256909 extn 244; www.welcomenepal.com; Bhrikuti Mandap Kathmandu . Take a passport copy and two passport size photos. It is also possible to get both the two permits at the National Park Office before Dhunche.

 TREK  SCHEDULE

 Day 01 Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (1470m) by road   

The journey should take 6 to 8 hours depending on traffic and mode of transport.

Sukhothai, Thailand: Wat Mahathat

The World Heritage Site of Sukhothai used to be a flourishing kingdom during the 13th and 14th centuries. Wat Mahathat shown in these photographs in the largest and most impressive in Sukhothai. and this is considered to be the religious and administrative headquarters of the old capital. Sukhothai is about six hours drive north of Bangkok.

Photo Workshop at Atali Ganga Rishikesh - March 20th to 23rd 2014

Aquaterra Adventures (www.aquaterra.in) and South Col Expeditions (www.southcol.com) are pleased to present a three day photography workshop with Sujoy Das at Atali Ganga https://www.facebook.com/Activotel 14 km from Rishikesh. 

SCOPE
In the digital world today, everyone is a photographer. From an entry level camera phone to an Iphone to a $3000 D-SLR, every kind of equipment is capable to taking good photographs. However, photography is not just about picking up a phone or camera putting it to your eye and shooting. 
This workshop aims to hone the skills of the amateur photographer, teaches the basic photography techniques and through practical photo shoots and presentations make you a better photographer.

COSTS
The workshop provides the options to stay at Atali Ganga (Rs 24,963) or the nearby Camp Silver Sands (Rs 20,850). The cost above covers all accommodation for three nights, all meals, photo workshop costs, lecture sessions, photo shoots, critiques etc. 

For more detailed information and to register for the workshop please contact info@aquaterra.in or call 91-11-29212760, 29212641.

Bhaktapur Photos

Situated an hour's drive from Kathmandu, the World Heritage Site of Bhaktapur is possibly the jewel in Nepal's crown. It has three squares - The Durbar Square, Tachupal Tole and Taumidhi Tole studded with temples, palaces, frescoes and statues! Most tourists visit Bhaktapur for the day and leave in the evening but a night stay is well worth it at the charming Bhadgaon Guest House! Here are some photographs of Bhaktapur:

Durbar Square, Bhaktapur 

Potters Square 

Window of the wood carving museum, Tachupal Tole

King Bhupendra Malla's column

Siddha Lakshmi Temple

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The Source of the Teesta Trek in North Sikkim: Lachen to Cholamu

Looking south from the high point of Dorji-La over the North Sikkim plateau

Prologue

In the summer of 1987 I was extremely lucky to receive the hospitality of the Indian Army to trek from Lachen upto Cholamu Lake, the source of the river Teesta in North Sikkim. This road is now jeepable and the army uses the road for ferrying materials, supplies etc. to their higher camps. Travel companies from Gangtok also arrange permits for tourists and take them up from Lachen for the day upto Thangu and Gurudongmar Lake.  However, it is a bone-jarring ride and to enjoy the magnificent mountain scenery, the sweeping views across the North Sikkim plateau towards Tibet and the plethora of bird and animal life in the Trans Himalayan region, this trek is highly recommended but I am sure it is permit restricted at the moment.. The trek starts in the southern side of the Himalayas at Lachen and crossed the Himalayan watershed at Giagong where it enters the Trans Himalaya. The trail them travels along the North Sikkim plateau with the plains of Tibet to the north and the main Himalayan range to the south. On the way to Cholamu it passes the sacred lake of Gurdongmar which is a place of worship for the Sikhs.

I was able to climb upto the army high point at Dorji la, which is a peak about 5650 metres north east of Cholamu lake. It was mid June, the onset of the monsoon. To the north of Dorji la the plateau of Tibet stretches for miles as far as the eye can see a brown barren wasteland.  And to the south the high point looks down the Lachung valley   and in the distance, flickering flashes of lightning could be seen far below lighting up the valley in the midst of the inky night. It was a surreal experience as though one was seated at one of high points of the globe. 

Markha Valley Homestays

 The Markha Valley is the most popular trek in Ladakh. It is relatively short, located close to Leh, the walking is mostly below 4000 metres with  night stops around 3500 metres and has the best of Ladakh thrown in: Sculpted canyons and fantastic rock formations, medieval villages,  Buddhist gompas and snow-peaks.  It is now possible to trek the Markha Valley in Ladakh during the summer months July to mid September staying at homestays. I trekked this route in September 2013 with a South Col team and some of the homestays are given here.

For more information on Ladakh homestays do visit  http://www.himalayan-homestays.com/ladakpages/default.html and for more photographs of the Markha Valley trek do visit  http://www.sujoydas.com/Ladakh-and-Zanskar/The-Markha-Valley-Trek-Ladakh

Nubra Valley: Dream Camp Sumoor

The Nubra Valley in Ladakh 

Rigzin Wangdus, who hails from the village of Sumoor in the Nubra Valley, Ladakh has set up a camp resort in midst of  flower drenched gardens and verdant vegetable farms! Nubra which is across the famous Khardungla pass from Leh is a much visited tourist destination during the summer months. Dream Camp cosnsists of tented accomodation with deluxe rooms and attached bathrooms is recommended if you want to stay for a few days in the Nubra valley.

Other than Sumoor, Diskit, Hundar and Panamik in the Nubra valley can also be visited. It is worthwhile to cross the Khardung la pass from Leh and spend two nights in the valley.

The contact details of Dream Camp Sumoor is below:
Rigzin  Wangdus +919419873198, +919419543001, rigzin_wangdus@yahoo.com.

For more photographs on Ladakh and Zanskar do visit http://www.sujoydas.com/Ladakh-and-Zanskar

Photos from Ladakh & The Markha Valley Trek

In September 2013, a South Col team trekked the beautiful Markha Valley in perfect weather. These are some of the photographs from the trek

View of the Himalayas from the flight Delhi to Leh

Storm clouds over Leh palace

At Chilling the Zanskar river has to be crossed by a trolley before we can start the walk

The team at the Lake Camp below Nimaling

There are a number of homestays now in the Markha Valley which provide basic rooms and meals for trekkers

Snow pigeons at the village of Hankar

Ponies graze on the upland pastures above Nimaling

The Lake Camp below Nimaling

Evening light over the Ladakh mountains from Lake Camp below Nimaling

For more photographs of Ladakh and Zanskar please do visit my web site http://www.sujoydas.com/Ladakh-and-Zanskar 

Images of Patan Durbar Square, Nepal

The oft neglected neighbour of Kathmandu, the city of Lalitpur, popularly known as Patan is a World Heritage Site and the Durbar Square is studded with temples of rare beauty. Though most visitors usually breeze through Patan, it is well worth while to spend a day here. Some photographs from the Patan Durbar Square:

Early morning at the Durbar Square 

The imposing Krishna Mandir

The Vishwanath Temple

A marigold seller at the Square

Entrance of the Golden Temple

Ten Great Treks of the Indian Himalaya

This is a list of my personal ten great treks in the Indian Himalaya not in any specific order!

Green Lakes - the base camp of Kangchendzonga in North Sikkim  

Off limit to trekkers for many years and rigidly controlled by a permit system, few have made it to the north east base camp of Kangchendzonga. In the summer of 1987, supported by an Assam Rifles team who were climbing the peak, I reached the Green Lakes Base Camp in the Zemu Valley. The trek is around 8/9 days from Lachen (up and down) and has some stupendous views, rhododendrons and blue poppies, bharal grazing on the Green Lake plain and Siniolchu, that perfect mountain, visible from the Zemu glacier. The trek needs full support with tents, porters and food to be carried. It is on my agenda to take a South Col team to Green Lakes soon!

  

Dzongri and the Goeche La - the approach to Kangchendzonga from the south 
Much more accessible than the northern approach, Dzongri is an alpine meadow around 4000 metres near the glaciers of Kabru and Ratong commanding some superb views of the Sikkim Himalaya. The trek from Yuksam to the alp of Dzongri takes two days though some do it in three to aid acclimatisation. From Dzongri you can go both to the Goecha La pass following the Prek Chu river or make a rewarding detour to the HMI base camp at Chauringkhang below the peaks of Kabru and Ratong. The view of Kangchendzonga from the plain of Onglakthang before Samiti lake is stupendous especially if seen on a moonlit night!

Across Zanskar - Lamayuru to Padum and onto Darcha 
This could be the "ultimate trek" in Ladakh crossing seven passes in seven days from Lamayuru to Padum and then again  crossing Shingo-la  from Padum to Darcha. The trek traverses heights upto 5400 metres and drops to the valleys around 3500 metres. Sadly, the trek will soon be no more thanks to a road which is relentlessly being carved out along the banks of the Zanskar River from Nimu to Padum. So while the going is good I would advise to do this trek. Great views, fabulous country, the real "last Shangri-la" . Please visit  www.sujoydas.com/ladakh-zanskar for photographs of this trek.

The Nanda Devi Sanctuary 
This trek had been closed for many years in order to conserve the environment of the inner sanctuary. It is now open against a permit upto Dibrugheta - the inner sanctuary is still closed. The views of Nanda Devi from Dharansi Pass and Saini Kharak are indeed spectacular and Dunagiri dominates most of the trail from Suraithonta to Jhandidhar. Water is a problem on this route and you need a guide who is familiar with the terrain and water sources. The round trip Suraithonta-Dharansi Pass-Lata Kharak-Lata would take around 5-6 days. Full arrangements need to be made for tents, food, cook and porters on this route which can be done by several trekking agencies in Joshimath. 

Rupkund - The Mystery Lake 
The bugyals of the Garhwal are nowhere more beautiful than on the trail to Rupkund. Bedni Bugyal with its dress circle view of the Garhwal peaks is an idyllic campsite with lush meadows in the summer and monsoon. The trek would take around 7-8 days and there are some huts which could be used for shelter. We never had a tent and stayed in the huts and the rock caves of Baguabasa. It is possible to continue on from Rupkund and cross Juiragali and return to the valley via Kanol and Sutol. Porters and food would be a necessity on this route. For details please visit  http://www.roopkund.com/complete-trek-details.html

The Kuari Pass and Curzon's Trail 
It is now possible to reach the Kuari Pass from Joshimath in two/three days via the ski resort of  Auli, but, it is still rewarding to walk the Curzon trail from the village of Ghat across theKauri Pass and then descend to Joshimath. The pass made popular by the early British explorers to the Garhwal like Frank Smythe, Bill Tilman etc. commands an extensive view across the mountains of the Garhwal Himalaya. The full route would take around -5-6 days and post monsoon would be an ideal time to do this trek. The meadows between Kuari and Auli are home to the shepherds who graze their sheep and goats on the lush vegetation during the monsoon months. For details please visit  http://sadanandsafar.blogspot.in/2010/07/twin-treks-to-kuari-pass-and-nanda-devi.html

The Singalila Ridge of Sandakphu and Phalut

Though it is possible to drive a landrover from Darjeeling all the way to Sandakphu in a bone jarring ten hour journey, the walk from Manebhanjan to Sandakphu and then along the ridge to Phalut is highly recommended. The trek can be done without porters or guides as there are lodges to stay and food is available. It is possible to return from Phalut via Gorkhey and Rimbick. The Singalila ridge is one of the few locations where four of the five highest mountains in the world are visible - Everest, Kangchendzonga, Lhotse and Makalu. It is possible to trek this route in winter as the altitude never crosses 3600 metres. 

The Lakes of Ladakh - Tso Kar and Tso Moriri 

The trek from Rumtse to Tso Kar and then onto Tso Moriri  which would take around 8-9 days is one of the great walks in Ladakh.The trek needs to be done with full support-  tent, ponies, cook and food. The trail passes through the high altitude plateau of Rupshu with a lot of wildlife en route - kiang (Tibetan wild ass), marmots, ladakh pika, red wolf, ducks and geese.  We attempted the trek in late September 2008 after heavy snowfall had covered  the Ladakh and Himachal mountains. Unfortunately we managed to reach only Tso Kar after which the snow conditions which were steadily getting worse put paid to our plans. August would be a good month for this trek before the onset of winter. It is necessary to have transport at Tso Moriri arranged as the bus to Leh is only twice a month!  For photographs please do visit http://www.sujoydas.com/Ladakh-and-Zanskar/Ladakh

The Source of the Ganga - Goumukh and Tapoban 

The trek from Gangotri to the source of the Ganga at Goumukh and then onto the high meadows of Tapoban and Nandanvan is one of the finest walks in the Garhwal. The views of Shivling, Bhagirathi peaks, Kedardome, Meru are outstanding from the Tapoban meadows. On a good day bharal (blue sheep) can be seen at very close distance. It is advisable to camp one night at Tapoban and another at Nandanvan before returning to Gangotri. The trek would take around seven to eight days return. Crossing the Gangotri glacier can be difficult if it has snowed recently so a guide could be useful.

The Pin Parvati Pass

The journey from Kulu valley into Spiti across the Pin Parvati Pass is not for the faint hearted. The pass is often snow bound even as late as June/July and snow flurries and storms in bad weather makes the crossing extremely difficult. Having said this, it is a very rewarding trek for a well equipped group with guide, porters, food, tent and proper equipment. The trek from the Kulu side starting at Pulga  should take around seven/eight days. For a trek diary please do visit http://runturn.blogspot.in/2006/12/pin-parvati-trek.html

For more details of treks in the Himalaya do visit www.southcol.com or www.facebook.com/southcolexpeditions

Lukla to Phaplu: The Long Road back to Kathmandu

In May 2013, I was returning from a South Col trek to the Everest region when for two consecutive days our Tara Air flights from Lukla  were cancelled due to bad weather and strong winds over the Lamjura Pass. My clients who had connecting flights to their home countries left Lukla by chartering a helicopter and finally my sirdar Shyam Tamang and myself were left in Lukla. Helicopter fares were very expensive and more than what Shyam and I could afford. So after seeing off  the last group by "chopper" from Lukla, we decided to take the long walk to Phaplu, 50 km away. From Phaplu there is a jeepable road of sorts which takes around fifteen hours to Kathmandu! We were dead beat after walking for 17 days in the Everest region and another 50 km did not look inviting but there was not much choice.

This is the route map of our walk:

We took Prakash one of our porters on the Everest trek and the three of us descended from the Lukla airstrip into the forest above Surkhe. These are some of the photographs from this rain drenched journey.

The trail from Lukla (2800m) plunges down to Surke, a drop of about 500 metres in about an hour and a half! We were soon enveloped in the wet forest and cocooned in the damp mist amidst a cacophony of bird calls!

The trail from Surke then crosses a bridge and starts a long uphill climb to the village of Puiyan (2780m)  On the way we passed these porters making their way to Lukla. 

Before reaching the small village of Puiyan there is an old tree surrounded by these prayer flags and ceremonial scarves ( khadas).  

Our sirdar Shyam and Prakash look down into the Dudh Kosi river valley  as the trail plunges down to Bupsa (2350m) from the Khari La pass. 

The Sonam Lodge was welcome for a  tea break at the Kari La pass (2885 metres)  about an hours  walk after crossing Puiyan.  

Numerous hills and dales  had passed by  and we were wet and tired. It was early evening. Our destination for the first night out from Lukla was Kharikhola (2050m)  which was still some distance away. We found the Everest lodge at Bupsa and stopped to have tea and noodles with the owner in this attractive kitchen. 

The next day we descended from Kharikola to Jubing (1700 metres) and then started on the 1300 metre ascent to the pass of Traksindo. On the way after crossing Nuntala (2350m) we found this man weaving baskets outside his home on the edge of the trail.

The weather was packing up again and clouds rushed through the valley where this donkey is carrying rice and atta for his owner on the way to Lukla. 

After crossing the Traksindo Pass (3071m) the trail drops through the valley and enters this beautiful village of Ringmo (2700m) , known as the "apple capital" of the Everest region. The valley is studded with apple trees and beautiful forest all around the village. Ringmo was possibly the most attractive village on this route.

Leaving the village of Ringmo and before entering Phaplu,   the trail passes through several neatly terraced villages like this one!  

After more than 18 hours of walking and 50 km later we reached Phaplu in the late evening on the second day. It had been a long, wet and tiring walk and the exhaustion is evident on Prakash's face! On reaching Phaplu we found that no flights were operating out of this airport as well due to bad weather! As luck would have it we managed to get a ride on a Tata Sumo heading for Kathmandu the same evening. Fifteen hours later at around 9 am the next morning we reached Kathmandu after jolting through the night on dirt track roads! The entire journey had taken us 45 hours since leaving Lukla! The flight from Lukla to Kathmandu takes 30 minutes!

Images from the Kathmandu Valley

Last September, I spent a week in the Kathmandu valley researching and photographing for a Lonely Planet book on Nepal. These are some of the photographs from that shoot which do not feature in the book!

Bodhnath

Kopan Monastery 

Dawn from Syambhunath over Kathmandu 

Bhaktapur

Dawn - Durbar Square Bhaktapur